What good are council seats if they can't be filled?

July 22, 2014

The village of Rogers, population 235, seems to be having a difficult time finding enough residents who care.

One recurring dilemma facing the village is not being able to find enough people to serve on council. Only five people have stepped up to fill the six council seats. Now, a ballot measure is being considered that would allow for the reduction of the number of council seats from six to five.

Last year the town couldnt find a mayor and council was down two seats. Five of the seats are currently filled, but there doesnt appear to be any hope of a sixth person joining in the near future.

Dissolving into the township was discussed late last year, but it was learned that a citizen-initiated petition drive seeking dissolution of Rogers is required, with such a petition needing signatures from at least 40 percent of the villages registered voters who voted in the last election to get on the ballot.

Officials of Middleton Township, which would be required to absorb the village, seemed reluctant to get involved with the dissolution discussion and after awhile the topic was dropped.

When looking at what changes village residents would face in a merger, council determined that street lights are the only service that would be lost, since the village has no municipal water or sewer service and lacks a police department. Fire services are provided by the Negley Fire Department. Side streets in the village would still be plowed during snowstorms but not until after the school bus routes are cleared.

The best scenario would be if more people would get involved in the governance of their village, but we dont see that happening. If finding six civic-minded individuals has become an insurmountable obstacle, its hard to imagine finding enough people to keep the village thriving.

Village voters should approve reducing the required number of seats on council, but if this referendum fails perhaps it is time to revisit the issue of dissolving the town into the township.